Patient healthcare monitoring/maintenance system

Abstract

An independently operable interactive health care monitoring and control system for the patient-responsive treatment and reporting from a home-based patient with respect to a health care provider treatment facility, the system comprising a patient or system activated “body-condition” test unit configured for personal recognition and interactive telecommunication with the health care provider treatment facility; and a patient-personalized, screen displayed, patient-respected computer generated avatar figure, to prompt and guide proper patient evaluation, reporting, behavior, behavior modification and treatment.

1 . A health care monitoring and control system for the patient-responsive treatment and reporting from a home-based patient with respect to monitoring by a health care provider treatment facility, comprising:
 an activatable “body-condition” test unit configured for personal recognition and interactive telecommunication with the health care provider treatment facility; and   a patient-personalized, screen displayed, patient-respected, computer generated avatar figure, to visually and audibly prompt and guide proper patient responsive self-treatment.   
     
     
         2 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the “body-condition” test unit comprises a test unit for measuring patient self-administered blood oxygen levels. 
     
     
         3 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the “body-condition” test unit comprises a test unit for measuring patient self-administered blood pressure test. 
     
     
         4 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the “body-condition” test unit comprises a test unit for measuring patient self-administered body temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the “body-condition” test unit comprises a test unit for measuring patient self-administered glucose levels. 
     
     
         6 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the avatar figure is generated by a computer source within the monitoring system. 
     
     
         7 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the computer source maintains a variable avatar collection to permit the avatar to show multiple stages of urgency to a patient utilizing the system, as required when patient compliance is not properly completed with certain preselected time intervals. 
     
     
         8 . The health care monitoring system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the avatar is selected from a group consisting of: one or more of the patient's family members, the patient's medical support team, a religious figure, a historical figure, a political figure, a sport's figure, a friend, and a cartoon character. 
     
     
         9 . A health care monitoring and control system for the patient-responsive/non-responsive treatment and reporting from a home-based patient with respect to a health care provider treatment facility, consisting of:
 a patient/system activated “body-condition” test unit configured for personal recognition and interactive telecommunication with the health care provider treatment facility; and   a patient-personalized, screen displayed, patient-respected computer generated avatar figure, to prompt and guide proper patient treatment, wherein the avatar is selected from a group consisting of: one or more of the patient's family members, the patient's medical support team, a religious figure, a historic figure, a sport's figure, and a cartoon character.   
     
     
         10 . A method of providing health care monitoring and health care support by a home based monitoring and healthcare support system comprising:
 arranging a patient-specific, patient-personalized, avatar-pre-programmed healthcare monitoring and control system for in-home use by a specific health impaired patient;   initiating the system monitoring and support of a patient using the system, by introduction of a patient's limb through a patient-receiving annular blood pressure monitoring cuff;   guiding the patient through the monitoring and support procedure by a patient-identifiable avatar pre-selected by the patient/healthcare provider, and represented on a monitor of the system; wherein the patient identifiable avatar is pre-selected by the patient from the group consisting of: one or more of the patient's family members, the patient's medical support team, a religious figure, a historic figure, a sport's figure, and a cartoon character, and wherein the healthcare monitoring system is in electronic communication and monitored by a professional healthcare agency;   testing the patient's blood by a finger clip oximeter for an oximeter reading prior to reading the patient's blood pressure by the blood pressure monitoring cuff;
 testing the patient's blood pressure subsequent to the oximeter reading as prompted and instructed by the particular avatar character; 
 reporting the results of the system's testing to a healthcare provider via an internet communication therewith; 
   elevating the urgency expressed by the avatar in communication with the patient undergoing the test procedures if the system or the healthcare provider determines an improper or undesired result or condition has occurred;   changing the avatar from one initially utilized to a different more forceful avatar should the system indicate a need to do so by its computer; and   changing the avatar from one initially utilized by the system and shown on a monitor to the patient, to a different more forceful avatar shown subsequently to the patient on a monitor, should the system indicate a need to do so by the healthcare provider.   
     
     
         11 . A method of providing health care monitoring and health care support by a home based monitoring and healthcare support system in the house of a patient, comprising:
 arranging a patient-specific, patient-personalized, avatar-pre-programmed healthcare monitoring and control system for in-home use by a specific health impaired patient;   initiating the system monitoring and support of a patient using the system, by introduction of a patient's limb through a patient-receiving annular blood pressure monitoring cuff; and   guiding the patient through the monitoring and support procedure by a patient-identifiable, avatar pre-selected by the patient/healthcare provider, and represented on a monitor of the system.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the patient identifiable avatar is pre-selected by the patient from the group consisting of: one or more of the patient's family members, the patient's medical support team, a religious figure, a historic figure, a sport's figure, and a cartoon character. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the healthcare monitoring system is in electronic communication and monitored by a professional healthcare agency. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , including:
 testing the patient's blood by a finger clip oximeter for an oximeter reading prior to reading the patient's blood pressure by the blood pressure monitoring cuff.   
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , including:
 testing the patient's blood pressure subsequent to the oximeter reading as prompted and instructed by the particular avatar character.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , including:
 reporting the results of the system's testing to a healthcare provider via an internet communication therewith.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , including:
 elevating the urgency expressed by the avatar in communication with the patient undergoing the test procedures if the system or the healthcare provider determines an improper or undesired result or condition has occurred.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , including:
 changing the avatar from one initially utilized, to a different more forceful avatar should the system indicate a need to do so by the patient's response sensed by the system computer.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , including:
 changing the avatar from one initially utilized by the system and shown on a monitor to the patient, to a different more forceful avatar shown subsequently to the patient on a monitor, should the system indicate a need to do so by the healthcare provider.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the system includes satellite monitors selected from the group consisting of: wireless monitors in further rooms within the house of the patient, wireless monitors worn by the patient for receipt of avatar instruction.